Feeding and erecting mechanism for carton blanks



y 29, 1956 c. z. MONROE EI'AL 2,747,473

FEEDING AND ERECTING MECHANISM FOR CARTON BLANKS Qriginal Filed March 50, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 mkv Charles 2. monv'oe Dwlght- German y 1956 c. z. MONROE ETAL 2,747,473

FEEDING AND ERECTING MECHANISM FOR CARTON BLANKS Original Filed March 30, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 i VBM-rQH- J Chou-has Z. CYflonr'oe Dwight German (H 110mm E: YJ

y 29, 1956 c; z. MONROE ET AL 2,747,473

FEEDING AND ERECTING MECHANISM FOR CARTON BLANKS Original Filed March 30, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 We how-es z,qylom 4 flgwwzwua/ May 29, 1956 c. z. MONROE ET AL 2,747,473

FEEDING AND ERECTING MECHANISM FOR CARTON BLANKS Original Filed March 50, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Chafles Z. m'onroe Dwight German 6 40, W W1WW% qrronwey May 29, 1956 c. z. MONROE ET AL 2,747,473

FEEDING AND ERECTING MECHANISM FOR CARTON BLANKS Original Filed March 30, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 HZA me haves ZQH m-oe Dwighf Ger-mum (D MM May 29, 1956 Original Filed March 30, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 T- 96 %NV=IN a. Charles irmokf /IE Dwight Ger-mam -G/LZww,/- \WFWP% V CRTTORNEYJ May 29, 1956 c MONROE ET AL 2,747,473

FEEDING AND ERECTING MECHANISM FOR CARTON BLANKS May 29, 1956 c. z. MONROE EI'AL 2,747,473

FEEDING AND ERECTING MECHANISM FOR CARTON BLANKS Original Filed March 30, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 WQ Ch our ea ZQ'HONO I Dwight German United States Patent -FEEDING ANDERECTING NIECHANISM FOR CARTGN BLANKS Charles Z. Monroe and Dwight German, Detroit,'Mich., assignors 'to Ex-Cell-O Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation-ofMichigan Original applieation March 30,1948, Serial No. 18,054, new Patent No. 2,655,044, dated January 5, 195.4. Divided and this applicationNovemher 6, 195 1 Serial No. 255,074

7 :Claims. ((11. 9353) The present invention relates generally to the .field of packaging machinery and, -more specifically, to .a novel andimproved mechanism for feedingand erecting carton blanks preparatory tovfilling them. This application is a .divisionof ourtcopending application Serial No. 18,034, filed vMarch 30, 719,48, entitled -Machine for ,Paekaging .Eluent Material, :now;U. S. ,PatenttNo. 2,665,044, issued January v.1954.

.Qneobi cttof the present invention is .to provide ,an improved :feeding and transfer mechanism including tl leans for positively separating or peeling one $311913 ,blanl;atatnnelfrom a stackof blanksregardless of possible Warpage in the separated blank.

Another objectis to-provide ameehanisrn of the f orera ingsh racter an ha i g v r ran em t o uer e kHQCke t- Q M Q bl n para from thesta ,as antlincide nt to transferring them to a receiving means.

lAju i herobject is to provide a mechanism of the type set forth and including a holding. means for the stack ofiblanks,whereby additionalblanks can be added from tirneto tirne withoutinterfering in any Way withthe operv-ation ofsuch mechanism.

Further objects and. advantages of the invention. will be om apparen a the 7 ol w g es rip i r eee ,t k n in connection with the accompanying drawings in h: "Eigure 1 'is a sideelevation of an illustrativefeeding t nd ra s e ha m e e y the P e n n ent q and. mounted on aparticular form of packaging. machine.

' Fig.2 is a plan view of the mechanism. and machine ,ofFig. ,1.

Fig.3 is an endelevation of the mechanism and machine shownj inFig l, taken from the end adjacent the filler hea e sem lyjFig. 4is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the feeder mechanism taken'intthe plane ofgthetline 4 4 in .tFi -J- :Eig, 5 is an end view of thepusher carriage shown in Figl ,the relative position of the carton stack'being indicated in. dot-dash outline.

6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectionalview detailing the adjusting means associated with the feeder magazine, such viewibeing taken in the plane of the line Fig. 2.

'F ig."71is an enlarged broken vertical sectionalview taken t hroiu gh the'separating mean and the transfer turret and in'theplane of theline'7*7 in Fig. 2.

'EigJS is s an enlarged horizontal sectional, view takenin theP l e l ne 8 ia "Figs.'9toll-inclusive, are various elevations andsectio nal views ,detailing thespeeler wheel which separates carton blanks'from the stack in the magazine.

7 Fig; 14 is a'fragmentary vertical sectional viewthrough 1 the ltransfer'turret and ,the carrier idler spool, taken in .the t le le f h line i i I jWhile the invention is. susceptible of various modii i c at io ns and alternative constructions, a preferred em- I bedt men fha fbe h w i e w n an rw -b See 2 herein described in some detail, but it is to be understood that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, .the intention being, on the contrary, to cover, all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressedin. the appendedclaims.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the invention is there exemplified in an illustrative carton-feeding and transfer mechanislnmounted on a packaging machine SOQ Thelatteris adapted in this instance to receive ice cream insemi-fluent form from a continuous freezer and to pack the same into .paper cartons for ;retail distribution. The machine 50 is organized ,upon a castersupported frame structure or table 51 having an enclosure which houses a main driving motor M and a pump driving motor :PM, together with associated powervtransrnitting mechanisms. The top 52 of the table 51 supports the novelcarton feeding and transfer mechanism si'alwhieh is adapted ,to present folded or knocked-down Chif on blanks C toan appropriate conveyor 54, the blanks being erectedas an incident to such transfer. The mechanism 53 and the conveyorSfl are driven in timed relation from themo o M vi su b e n oper v assqe ate with the conveyor 54 and also mountedonthetableftop 52 arecarton flap closing devices 55 and 5d, aeartdn fi e ea assemb y ,5 ,1 d se a e t h .l r n a the tear e e din a d. t an termeehan sm q pri e afl ede r o a in 69; r nblan I separating means, and a rotarytransfer turret 6 1 n 2)- Con d i rs t ma azin t ne eg will be .not ed upon reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 4, that such magazine in this instance comprises an upstanding yoke-shaped bracket 62 supported upon the table top' 52 "in spaced .apart relationship with a pair of'brac e'ts 6 4,

65 als o fixed to thetable top. Spanning the brackets 62 and ,6- 1, and relatively slidable withrespectthereio, are a pair of vertically. spacedguiderods 66, 68. Spainning the brackets 62 and 65, but rigidly fixed thereto, is another guide rod 69. In additiondto the lattenlthe bracketloii also carries a relatively short guide rod 70 disposed in vertically spaced relationship with the rodfi9.

The purpose of the, rods66,. 6.8, 69 and 7 ,0 is merely to maintain the vertical edges ofthefolded carton 'C in close alinement to'facilitate feeding them to the tr'an's- For the purpose of positioning thetoremost carton blank in the stack, the guide rods66 and'6 8areprovided with stop means in the form of a pair of stop-lugs 7 1, 72 (Figs. '4 and 6) screwed or otherwise rigidlyff astened to the ends of the rods adjacent the transfer turre tgfil. 'Inorder to render the carton stack adjustable relative'to the turret;61,theposition of the stoplugs 71 and72 with respect to thebrackets. 62 and Mean be altered by means of an adjusting bracket 74 which is pinned or otherwise secured to the rods 66and 68. The-bracket-74,inturn, can be positioned relative to the bracket 62-.by means of a suitably threaded adjusting stud'75 having a hand knob 76 unitary therewith. Any lost motion between the stud and the bracket'74 is taken up -by means or a coil compression spring 78 interposed between the brackets 62 and 74.

Provision is made for supporting the-weight oft-he carton blanks stacked in the magazine-60 upon a member which has no motion relative tothe blanks as thelatter are fed from themagazine. This is accomplished in the present instance by the use of a flexible cable 79 anchored to the table top-51 as at 80 (Fig. 7)v and running longitfiudinally under the magazine 60 to a reciprocable pusher carriage .81. As indicated in the drawings, the cable is arranged as an elongated'loop running from the anchorage 80 around a floating pulleyfilland thence to a depu fit d fi a ya un a em re eu e anehs ment with the lattermost carton blank in the stack.

magazine.

94which runs for an angular distance in the neighborgrees of peripheral distance, the shoulder 94 gives way to an axial cam portion 95 having an initial cam slope which terminates in a radial face substantially parallel to the to the'latter.

. marginal edge portion of the foremost carton, compressmagazine.

. the magazine.

fstruction completely eliminates inaccuracy in counting .of thecartons in the magazine, a relatively heavy weight (not shown) is suspended from the floating pulley 82 by means of a yoke 86 (Fig. 7).

The pusher carriage 81, which is adapted to maintain the stack of carton blanks in compression against the stop lugs 71, 72 and the separating means, comprises a generally U-shaped member equipped with supporting The tension in the cable suchjtension maintains the carriage in constant abut- Provision is made for adding to the supply of carton i'blanks in the magazine 60 without disturbing the opera 7 7 tion of the machine in any way. This is achieved in the present instance by equipping the carriage 81 with aplurality of pivotally mounted pusher fingers 90. These fingers are normally urged inwardly of the carriage by means of suitable biasing springs and their pivot points,

are so located that they will engage the stack of blanks when the carriage moves in one direction only. Thus, if it be desired to add carton blanks to the stack in the magazine, it is only necessary for the operator to place the additional blanks inside the pusher carriage 81 and,

to hold them fast against the lattermost blank in the At the same time, if the pusher carriage be moved manually away from the turret 61 by means of a the pusher carriage will then spring inwardly and en- 'rollers 88 adapted to run in a pair of spaced apart parallel guide rails 89 (Figs. 4 and 5). 79 urges the pusher carriage 81 toward the transfer turlret 61 and, as the blanks are fed from the magazine,

gage the lattermost additional carton blank which then becomes the lattermost blank in the magazine.

For the purpose of effecting a positive separation *between the foremost carton blank and the remaining blanks in the magazine 60, means is provided in the form of a peeler wheel 92 (Figs. 5, 7 and 8) drivingly carried 5 upon a shaft 93 which is journaled in the bracket 65 for rotation on an axis substantially parallel to that of the magazine 60. The peeler wheel 92 in this in this instance (Figs. 9 to 13) is fashioned with a radial shoulder hood of 270 degrees. The shoulder 94 is, of course,

, adapted to contact the adjacent marginal edge portion of the foremost carton in the stack without imparting motion to the carton blank. During the remaining 90 deface 94, r The cam portion 95 then gives way to a rel-.

ativelydeep single helical thread 96 which cuts completely across the outer periphery of the wheel 92. Ad-

jacent' the area where the cam portion 95 flattens out, there is provided a knife blade 98. The latter is spaced axially from the radial face of the cam portion 95 a dising the same against the remaining carton blanks in the While the marginal edge portion of the foremost carton is thus compressed, the separator knife 98 will wedge between such portion and the next blank in Upon still further rotation ofthe wheel 92, the separated edge portion will enter the thread 96 and thereby efiect a separation of the major portion of the foremost carton blank from the stack in the magazine.

It will readily be appreciated that the foregoing conthe magazine 60. Such inaccuracy is commonly due to warping of the carton blank so that the same no longer occupies a planar surface. The positive compression of the marginal edge portion of the foremost carton blank against the remaining blanks in the stack completely offsets any war'page effect and makes it'possible to peel off even a badly warped carton blank for presentation to the rotary transfer turret61.

The turret 61 is, in the present instance, journaled for rotation upon an upstanding stationary shaft 99 carried by the frame 51 of the machine. The turret is formed with a depending skirted wall portion 100 having a pair of relatively large diametrically opposed openings therein to accommodate a pair of swingable gates 101, each of which is pivotally mounted on a turret body as at 102. In order to enable the gates 101 to carry the separated carton blanks from the magazine to the conveyor means, each gate is provided with a pair of vertically spaced vacuum cups 104. Each of the cups 104 is made of rubber or other resilient material and is secured to its associated gate by means of a hollow screw 105. Internally, the gates 101 are each formed with passageways 106 communicating with the vacuum cups, such passageways being in turn connected by flexible tubes 107 to an evacuated passageway 108 in a stationary head 109 fixed to the upper end of the shaft 99. The latter is of hollow construction and thus provides communication between the passageway 108 and the vacuum pump P via an evacuated line 110 (Figs. 1 and 7). For the protection of the pump P, a filterF may be interposed in the line 110. Fixed to the upper surface of the turret 61 for rotation therewith is a hardened valve disk 111 having suitable ports to effect evacuation of the cups 104 upon initial contact with a separated carton blank and to break the vacuum in such cups after they have been moved by the turret into carton releasing position. This makes it possible to utilize a continuously running vacuum pump, the performance of which can readily be ascertained by means of a vacuum gage 112 having a stem 112A which is threadedly attached to the station head 109.

For the purpose of obtaining the necessary outward radial swing of the gates 101 incident to engagement cam and follower means is utilized. Thus, each of the gates is formed with a depending stud '114 carrying a roller 115 adjacent its lower end. The roller 115 is arranged to ride in a cam track 116 cut in a stationary annular member 118 housed within the skirt 100 of the turret. The cam track 116 is, of course, formed with the necessary contour to produce an outward swing of each gate immediately prior to picking up a carton blank and to produce an inward swing of the gate as such blank is presented to the conveyor 54.

To insure proper registration between the gates 101 and the carton blanks separated from the magazine 60, the peeler wheel 92 is driven in timed relation to the turret 61 and at twice the speed of the latter. This is accomplished in the present instance by the use of a vertically disposed shaft 119 drivingly connected to the peeler wheel shaft 93 through a pair of identical bevel gears. Keyed to the shaft 119 for rotation therewith is a sprocket wheel 120 which is half the diameter of the sprocket wheel 121 fixed to the underside of the turret 61. The sprocket wheels 120 and 121 are connected by a common driving chain 122 which passes over an adjustable idler 124, the chain 122 being driven by means of a sprocket 125 rotatable with the conveyor 54 (Fig. 8).

Provision is made for erecting the folded carton blanks C as an incident to their transfer to the conveyor 54 by the turret 61. This is accomplished in part by the use of a stationary spreader 126 (Figs. 2 and 8) mounted adjacent the turret 61. The spreader 126 is fashioned 7 with a curved guide 127 which follows the periphery of the turret 61 for an angular distance somewhat less 90'degrees, eventually straightening out tangentially and 5 terminating at the bottom flap .latchingdevice 55. .At the opposite end of the. guide 127,.the latterforms an: apex witha relatively short outwardly .diverging guide .128. Accordingly, vasthe turret -61 carries a folded blank C Lintmengagement with the spreader 126, the apex of the latter .will -enter between one of .theinnerbottom flaps tAiand the .slitted .outer bottom .flap -X (Fig. 4,). -As indicated inthe drawings, the'fiap Ahasanarcuate verti- .cal edge portion.to facilitate entry of .the spreader .126. lThetaction .of the spreader is alsoaugmentedby .a slight .radialinward. motion ofthe. gate .101 carrying the carton Lblarik, :suchmotionbeingproducedby the .contour of the cam track 116. Upon further rotation of the turret .61, the action of the spreader 126 forces the slitted flap X between the turret 61 an'd the guide 127, at the same time expanding the -.carton to a partially erected condition. ,Upon ,still further rotation of theturret 61, the-,carton Iblanklis presented to an adjacent open rectangular .or ..three=side'd.receptale130 which moveswith the conveyor 154,2the receptacle'l3ilbeing one of aseriesrcarried by- .conveyor chain131. "Since the conveyor and .the .turret .fil'rotatein timed relation to each other dueto engage- 'mentwith the driving chain 122"(Fig. '8), the partially erected carton blank is gradually pressed against the back wall of the rigid receptacle 130. This pressure is augmented by an outward thrust of the gate 101 imparted by the cam track 116 shortly before the vacuum cups 104 release their hold, such action serving to square up the blank into a fully erected condition within the receptacle 130. At this point, the gate 101 recedes radially toward the turret 61 and the receptacle 130 takes full charge of the carton blank. In order to obtain lateral support for the outermost side of the blank C and thus retain the same in a fully erected or squared condition within the receptacle 130, a stationary horizontal side rail 129 is provided (Figs. 8 and 14), the leading end of such rail being supported upon an extension 64A of the magazine bracket 64. The rail 129 is located so as to lie between the vacuum cups 104, thus permitting contact between the former and the outermost side of the carton blank before the cups 104 release their hold.

Since the operation of the novel mechanism embodying the invention has already been discussed in detail, a lengthy summary is unnecessary. However, it is believed that a brief synopsis will be found helpful at this point. To start with, carton blanks in collapsed or knock-down form are inserted in a stack in the magazine 60. One blank at a time is positively separated from the stack by the peeler wheel 92 and presented to the swingable gate of the transfer turret 61, being retained thereon by the vacuum cups 164. As the turret rotates, the carton blank is partially erected by contact between certain of its bottom flaps and the spreader 126. With further rotation of the turret 61, the blank is presented to an adjacent three-sided receptacle 139 carried by the chain 131 of the conveyor 54, the blank being pressed into a fully erected position as it enters the receptacle.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a feeding and erecting mechanism for carton blanks, the combination of a feeder magazine for holding a stack of folded carton blanks, a peeler wheel disposed in proximity to the discharge end of said magazine, one face of said wheel overlying the exposed marginal edge portion of the foremost blank in the stack, means on said peeler wheel for engaging the rear face of said marginal edge portion so as to effect positive separation of said foremost blank from the stack, a power driven carton conveyor, a rotary transfer turret having means for holding a separated blank and carrying it through an arcuate path to present the separated blank to said conveyor, a stationary V-shaped spreader having a relatively long curved guide spaced radially from and following the periphery of said transfer turret and a relatively short diverging guide for partially erecting the separated blank while the latter is carried by said turret, and a rigid three-sidedrectangular receptacle on said conveyor, said .receptaclebeing open onone side andjhavingthepartially erected'blank pressedtherein to square up thefblankjinto .a fully erected condition as an incident toitspresenta- .face.of said wheel overlying the exposed marginal edge portion of the foremostblankin. the stack, cam means o n said peeler wheel for compressing said marginal ,edge portion against the stack, blade means on saidpeeler wheel spacedifrom said cam means and disposedjforengaging .the rearface of said marginal edge portion so asto effect positive separation of said foremost blank from the stack, apower drivencarton conveyor, ,arotary transfer turret driven *in timed .rlationto said peeler wheel and said conveyontsaid turret being adapted to present theseparated'blank tosaid conveyor, and means .associated with said. turret and withsaid conveyor for squaring up .the'blank intota fully @IeCted condition as an incident'to its presentation from said turret to said conveyor.

3. In a mechanism for feeding and erecting folded carton blanks, the combination comprising a feeder magazine for holding a stack of folded carton blanks, a rotatable peeler wheel disposed in proximity to the discharge end of said magazine, one face of said wheel overlying the exposed marginal edge portion of the foremost blank in the stack and being adapted to cyclically compress the stack in an axial direction, knife means on said peeler wheel for engaging the rear face of said marginal edge portion when the stack is axially compressed so as subsequently to effect positive separation of said foremost blank from the stack, a power driven carton conveyor, and a rotary transfer turret driven in timed relation to said peeler wheel and said conveyor and adapted to present the separated carton blank to said conveyor.

4. In a carton blank feeding and erecting mechanism, the combination comprising a feeder magazine for holding a stack of folded carton blanks, a rotating Wheel having a plane annular shoulder adapted to abut the marginal edge portion of the foremost blank in the stack, a cam rise in the annular shoulder adapted to compress said marginal edge portion tightly against the stack and axially thereof, said cam rise terminating in a deep helical thread formed in the periphery of said wheel, a knife blade mounted on said wheel adjacent said cam rise but axially spaced therefrom by a distance approximating the thickness of one folded carton blank, said knife blade being adapted to positively separate the edge portion of the foremost blank thereby permitting the same to enter the thread and effect further separation from the stack.

5. In a carton blank feeding and erecting mechanism, the combination of a feeder magazine for holding a stack of folded carton blanks, a peeler wheel disposed in proximity to the discharge end of said magazine, one face of said wheel overlying the exposed marginal edge portion of the foremost blank in the stack, a first abutment in said face adapted to compress said exposed marginal edge portion of said blank axially against said stack, and a second abutment on said wheel face spaced from said first abutment by approximately the thickness of said blank, said second abutment being disposed in at least partially trailing relation with said first abutment, said second abutment being adapted to wedge between the reverse side of said exposed marginal edge portion and the next succeeding blank in the stack.

6. In a carton blank feeding and erecting mechanism, the combination comprising a feeder magazine for bolding a stack of folded carton blanks, a peeler wheel disposed in proximity to the discharge end of said magazine,

. 7 ,a helical thread on said peeler wheel adapted to wedge ,between the foremost blank in the stack and the next succeeding blank to separate the former from the latter, and a cam abutment on said wheel disposed in spaced but partially overlapping relation with the initial por- "tion of said thread, said cam abutment being adapted to compress the exposed marginal edge portion of said 'blank axially against said stack as the initial portion of said thread wedges behind the same.

7. In a mechanism for feeding and erecting folded carton blanks, the combination comprising a feeder magazin'e forholding a stack of carton blanks, means for positively separating one blank at a time from the stack,

a power driven conveyor having rigid, three-sided carton receptacles rectangular in shape with one side open mounted thereon, a rotary transfer turret driven in timed relation to said conveyor, radially swingable gripping devices carried by said turret, each of said devices being adapted to pick up a separated carton blank and to urge the same into an associated receptacle on said conveyor, a stationary V-shaped spreader disposed adjacent said turret and adapted to partially erect each blank as it is v s V a carried past the spreader by the turret, said spreader including, a relatively long curved guide following the periphery, of said turret for a predetermined angle and a relatively short guide diverging away from said turret,

cam means ,for swinging each of said gripping devices in a radial'outward direction as the blank is inserted into said associated receptacle, the outward swing of said gripping devices serving to squeeze each blank into a fully erected condition as an incident to its transfer from said turret to said receptacle, and a side rail disposed adjacent the path of the open sides of said receptacles for retaining erected cartons therein after release by said gripping devices.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 2,016,814 Ferguson Oct. 8, 1935 2,020,321 Kleineberg Nov. 12, 1935 2,200,276 Mothersall et al. May 14, 1940 2,318,208 First et al. May 4, 1943 2,357,535 Monroe Sept. 5, 1944 2,601,481 Williams June 24, 1952, 

